Oil-can and liquid storage and delivery device



(No Model.)

S. I. MERRILL. OIL CAN AND LIQUID STORAGE AND DELIVERY DEVICE.

Patented Mar. 30,1897.

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UNITED STATES SAMUEL I. MERRILL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

OIL-CAN AND LIQUID STORAGE AND DELIVERY DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 579,888, dated March30, 1897. Application filed August '7, 1896. Serial No. 602,083. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL I. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oil-Cans andLiquid Storage and Delivery Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

One object of my invention is to provide an appliance of superiorconvenience for re ceiving, storing, and delivering liquids.

My invention is applicable for oil-cans and provides very convenientmeans for receiving and storing oil and filling lamps therefrom.

It is also applicable for other vessels for receiving, storing, anddelivering liquids.

It isan object of my invention to provide special facility for fillingthe can and for carrying the same from place to place; also, to providea specially convenient combined stand and hanging case for the vessel;also, to provide very simple and perfect means for fastening the vesselin the case and for pivoting the vessel, bail, and case together; also,to provide a neat, simple, cheap, and strong case for containing andprotecting the vessel; also, to provide a clamp and stopper which can beeasily and accurately adjusted to hold the spout and vent and close thesame.

I provide a case for the can, which serves as a stand when it is desiredto fill the can and also serves as a hanging protectingcase and also asa shelf for holding lamps or other vessels while one of a number isbeing filled, and I pivot the can in the case by the ends of the bailwhich serves for hanging the case and can. The ends of the bail supportboth case and can when the can is hung up or while being carried andserve as trunnions for supporting the can in the case when the case isused as a stand.

The case in which I pivot the vessel is of novel construction, in thatit has its opposite side pieces arranged to form two bases arranged intwo planesviz., one opposite the open front of the case and the otheropposite the closed topand the corner between these two planes isrounded to allow the case, if standing on one base, to be easily turnedto rest on the other base, thus giving a stable support to hold the casesteady in its filling and emptying positions and yet allowing the caseto be readily changed from one position to the other. The base orsupport, which is opposite the open front of the case, is adapted alsoto rest stably against the wall when the case is hung up by its bail.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention hanging on a wallready for the delivery of the liquid. Fig. 2 is a vertical mid-sectionof the same. Fig. 3 shows the oil-can standing on the floor ready to befilled. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the connection between the bail,case, and vessel. Fig. 5 is a detail of the clamp and stopper for thespout and vent. Fig. 6 is a detail of a modified form of the spout andvent clamp and stopper inverted for convenience of illustration.

My invention embraces an oil-can or other liquid receiving, storing, anddelivering device comprising a case A, open at the front and having twobases 1 2, arranged one at the bottom and the other at the back of thecase in planes which are at an obtuse angle to each other, with arounded portion 3 between the two bases; a vessel 13, provided with afillingopening I) in the top and a spout 1), projecting from the side toabove the top of the can; an axle 0, having sockets c in the ends andextending through the vessel and fastened to and projecting outside theopposite ends thereof to engage the side walls a a, of the case, and abail D, extending over the top of the case and having its ends 01 d bentinward and passed through the walls of the case and inserted into thesockets in the ends of the axle. This provides a very simple, compact,and convenient device which can be put together at very small expenseand which can be readily filled and as readily emptied and is adapted tostand upon the ground or a bench or table or any other suitable supportfor filling or emptying, and is also adapted to be hung on a hook on awall or post for the purpose of conveniently filling lamps.

My invention also embraces the case for holding the pivoted vessel,which case comprises a top board 4 and bottom board 5, arranged obliqueto each other, two side boards a a, fastened to opposite edges of thetop and bottom boards and each provided with feet a e', arranged to formtwo supportingbases, one, 1, at the bottom and the other, 2, at the backof the case, and a sheet-metal back (5, fastened to the rear edges ofthe side boards at the back of the case and projecting under the rearedge of the top board. The rear edge of the top board is beveled, as at7, on the under side at a sharp angle with the upper face of the topboard, and the top board is set at right angles with the base 2 at theback of the case, so that when the case is hanging against a verticalwall or post its top will form a shelf on which the person filling lampscan conveniently place alam p or lamps. The sheet-metal back is nailedto the rear edge of the bottom board, as at a, and is then bent up overthe side boards of the case and brought under the beveled portion of thetop board and then nailed to the side boards by nails a. This provides avery rigid and strong case of very light weight.

The invention also comprises the co1nbination of the case A, open at thefront and provided in its sides with holes 8 for receiving the ends ofthe bail, the vessel provided with an axis the ends of which projectbeyond the 'end walls of the vessel to engage with the side walls of thecase and are soeketed to receive the ends of the bail, and the bailwhich extends over the top of the vessel and has its ends bent inwardand inserted through the holes in the sides of the case and into thesockets of the said axle. The vessel is easily mounted in the ease byinserting it into the case or bringing the sockets of the axle toregister with the bail-holes in the case and then bringing the bail intoplace. It can be as easily removed by springing the ends of the bail outof the case.

E indicates plates fastened to the case by screws 6 and arranged toproject over the ends of the bail, respectively, to prevent the ends ofthe bail from being withdrawn from the axle. The axle virtuallycorresponds in length to the width between the side walls of the ease.

The vessel is counterbalanced, so as to hold the spout and. thefilling-inlet elevated, so that the oil will not run out. Thiscounterbalancing is preferably produced by arranging the axle eccentricthe vessel, it being placed a little above the axis of the vessel, sothat the gravity of the vessel will hold the inlet and spout elevated.This arrangement is not new and is not claimed.

9 indicates a counterbalance-weight to assist in returning and holdingthe can upright.

M y invention comprises the counterbalanced vessel, pivoted at its endsto a support and provided at the side with a spout projectin gtangentially and upward, and a handle l pivoted to the spout to hangbelow the level of the spout-outlet to rotate the vessel, the purpose ofthis being to allow the operator to hold the lamp in one hand and thenby inserting one of the fingers of the same hand through a loop f,provided for that purpose at the end of the handle, he can pull down thehandle with the same hand which holds the lamp and can direct the spoutinto the mouth of the lamp, and thus with one hand perform the work offilling the lamp. This handle is a convenience, even though not providedwith the loopf at the end to re ceive the finger; but I prefer to makethe handle with such loop.

f indicates a hook in the bottom of the case to hold the loop and thushold the can steadily upright for filling, as shown in Fig. 3.

G indicates a latch and stopper for closing the spout and locking thecan in its upright position. This lock and stopper may be of variousforms, two of which are shown in the drawings. It comprises,essentially, a plate g, adapted for attachment to the top of the caseand provided with a buffer g and a s n'ing-pressed latch and stopper,such as g or g, )ivoted to the plate.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5 the latch and stopper ispivoted to the plate at 10, and a spring 11 is arranged to press againstthe faces of the angular heel 12 of the latch, the angle of the faces ofthe heel being such with relation to the spring that when the stopper isagainst the spout the spring will tend to press the latch toward thespout, and when the latch is thrown outward and upward until the anglebetween the faces of the heel has passed the spring the stopper will beheld away from the path of the spout.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the stopper is mounted on a spring-metalstrap 13, which is pivoted to a stud H, which projects down from theunder side of the plate g. One end of this strap is bent to form an eyeto cmbrace said stud, and the other end of the strap is bent into ahookform, as at 14-, tohook over another stud 11, which projects down fromthe under side of the plate g Midway between the ends of the latch thestopper 5/ is provided to press against the mouth. of the spout and alsoagainst the month of the vent I. The latch and stopper and the studs andbuffer are arranged with such relation to the spout of the can that thestrap of the latch will have to be bent from the normal in order tofasten the hook 14 over the stud 11, so that a spring-pressure isexerted to hold the stopper against the mouth of the spent and vent. Toapply the latch and stopper, the plate 1 (or g") is placed inapproximately the required position, and the spout is then brought upagainst the buffer and the latch thrown into place. Then the plate ismoved until the proper tension is given to the spring which presses thelatch. Then the plate is secured by screws screwed into the case throughthe screw-holes 15 in the plate.

To fill the can, it is taken fromv the hook and set upon the ground orsome other horizontal support, as shown in Fig. 3, and is tilted overonto the base at the back of the case, the latch being first released,so that when the case is tilted over the spout and filling-opening willmaintain their elevated position. Then preferably the loop f is hookedover the hook f to hold the vessel steady. Then the screwcap is removedfrom the filling-opening b and the vessel can be filled, after which thescrewcap is replaced, the loop f unhooked, and the case lifted by thebail and hung into place, the vessel rotating on its axis to hold thespout and filling-opening uppermost while the case is being turned, aswell as at all other times except when the spout is drawn down todischarge oil therefrom.

The angle between the base 1 and the top of the case widens from rear tofront thus to leave a greater space through which the spout can move.

The axle 0 may be either solid or hollow between the spaces where theendsof thebail come, but by preference for cheapness and convenience ofconstruction it is made of one-eighth-inch gas-pipe, into the ends ofwhich the bent ends of the wire bail D are inserted.

The sheet-metal back is provided with a head at 6 to stiffen it at theedge of the top board. The top board extends back over the edge of thesheet-metal back, so that any rain which may fall on the top will beconducted off.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An oil-can comprising a case open at the front and having two basesarranged, one at the bottom and the other at the back of the ease, inplanes which are at an obtuse angle to each other,with a rounded portionbetween the two bases; a vessel provided with a filling-opening in thetop and a spout in the side projecting above the top of the can; an axlehaving sockets in the ends, and extending through the vessel andfastened to the opposite ends thereof; and the bail extending over thetop of the case and having its ends bent inward and passed through thewalls of the case and inserted into the sockets in the ends of the axle.

2. The case for holdin g pivoted vessels which comprises a top board anda bottom board arranged oblique to each other; two side boards fastenedto the ends of the top and bottom boards and provided with feet arrangedto form two support-bases, one at the bottom and the other at the backof the case; and a sheet-metal back fastened to the rear edges of theside boards and projecting under the rear edge of the top board.

3. The combination of the case open at the front and provided in itssides with holes for receiving the ends of a bail; a vesselprovided withan axle the ends of which are socketed to receive the ends of the bail;and the bail extending over the top of the vessel and case and havingits ends bent inward and inserted through the holes in the side of thecase and into the sockets of the said axle.

4. The combination of the case open at the to receive the ends of thebail; and the bail extending over the top of the vessel and case andhaving its ends bent inward and inserted through the holes in the sideof the case and into the sockets of the said axle.

5. The combination of the case open at the front and having its sidepieces provided with feet arranged in two planes, viz: at the bottom andback of the case; a vessel provided with spout and filling-opening andpivoted between the side pieces of the case; and the bail extending overthe vessel and case and having its ends inserted into the opposite sidesof the case and vessel to pivot the vessel and case together.

6. The case having the vessel pivoted between the side pieces of thecase and having said side pieces arranged to form two bases adapted forsupporting the case and arranged in two planes which are at an angle toeach other, and said side pieces being rounded at the angle between theplanes of the bases.

'7. The counterbalanced vessel pivoted at its ends to a support, andprovided at the side with a spout projecting tangentially and upward;and a handle pivoted to the spout to hang below the level of thespout-outlet and in position to be grasped by the hand which holds thelamp while it is being filled from the spout so that a person fillingthe lamp is enabled to hold the lamp and to rotate the can with onehand.

8. The case provided with two bases and open at the front; a hook at thebottom of the case; a vessel pivoted at its ends in the case andprovided with a filling-opening and also provided at the side with aspout projecting tangentially and upward toward the plane of thefilling-opening; and a handle pivoted to the spout and provided with aloop to catch upon the hook at the bottom of the case.

9. The lock and stopper comprising a plate provided with. a buffer andadapted to be fastened to the case; and a spring-pressed stopper andlatch pivoted to the plate for locking and stopping the spout.

10. The combination of the case open at the front and provided in itssides with holes for receiving the ends of a bail; a vessel providedwith an axle the ends of which are socketed to receive the ends of thebail; a bail extending over the top of the vessel and case and havingits ends bent inward and inserted through the holes in the side of thecase and into the sockets of the said axle; and plates fastened to thecase and arranged to project over the ends of the bail substantially asset forth.

SAMUEL I. MERRILL.

lVitnesses:

JAMES R. TowNsEND, ALFRED I. TOWNSEND.

IIO

